


wonder that's keeping the stars apart

by siojo



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Background Relationships, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 14:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15172220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siojo/pseuds/siojo
Summary: When the Jaeger Going Merry is destroyed in a fight against a Kaiju and one of her pilots injured, the team is split up. Luffy might not like that he's going to lose Ace and Sabo, but they said they would keep in contact, now he just needs a new co-pilot.





	wonder that's keeping the stars apart

“We’ll need new partners,” Ace says softly and Luffy doesn’t look at him, focusing on the beeping of the heart rate monitor. On the rise and fall of the green line. On anything but that. “Luffy, please listen to me.”

 

“Sabo will get better and then we can pilot Merry again,” Luffy insists stubbornly, even though his memory goes right back to the screech of metal tearing under the Kaiju’s attack and the rush of cold and wet that had almost brought them all out of the drift.  “Just like we always get better.”

 

“Ace’s right,” Sabo mutters tiredly, reluctantly, one of his hands moving to brush over the mess of bandages covering the left side of his face, “With these injuries, there’s no way they’re going to let me back into a Jaeger. I’ve got too much major nerve damage now, Luffy.”

 

Luffy bites his lip, because if even Sabo says it, “Ace and I can pilot Merry.”

 

“Lu, we need Sabo to finish our link. You and I aren’t drift compatible, we’re just both compatible with Sabo, that’s why we could pilot Merry. And you know that the Doc still doesn’t understand how that works, it’s suppose to be impossible.”

 

“So what’ll happen to Merry?”

 

Sabo looks at Ace, the same way he always looks at Ace when Luffy’s missed something important, before sighing. “The Merry was too damaged in our fight. It’s being scrapped, at least what can be since so much Blue got on it.”

 

“But what’ll Sabo do if you don’t fight with us in a Jaeger?”

 

“I’m sure that Dragon will have something for me. If not, Gramps will make sure that I don’t go far. I’m not leaving, Luffy, we’re just not going to be able to fight together anymore.” Sabo smiles and Luffy can see how it’s strained. The way his eye, the one that’s not hidden behind bandages, doesn’t look bright. “It was bound to happen at some point, we’re one of the longest running teams.”

 

“Shanks and Benn have been running longer.”

 

Ace snorts. “Shanks and Benn haven’t run a mission since that level three that breached their hull and took Shanks’ arm years ago. They’re used for promotional purposes and to get more money from the government. Benn hates it, but Shanks loves getting lost in the drift too much to fully stop.”

 

“You can’t say anything Ace, you love the drift too,” Sabo states, “But I’m not going to do that and they won’t let Ace, you’ve always tested real compatible with Deuce, haven’t you?”

 

“They’ve offered us Striker,” Ace agrees tiredly. “Marco thinks it’ll be good, they’re willing to assign me closer to him and you know that I don’t get to see him often enough. I-” Ace shrugs and Luffy knows that he feels guilty. “Striker would be assigned to the same dome that he’s in.”

 

“What about me?” Luffy pouts, because he can’t argue with that. “I don’t have a partner!”

 

“They’ll start testing you with anyone that doesn’t have a partner on file or who’s partner isn’t able to fight anymore. Deuce and I were in the same class and it was noted in our files, Sabo and I were just more compatible,” Ace answers. “And I think it depends who you’re compatible with.”

 

“But that means we’ll get split up.” Luffy doesn’t want that. That’s why he had snuck into Ranger training early, so that he didn’t lose them. Now Ace was going to another dome and Sabo could be assigned anywhere.

 

Sabo smiles. “Luffy, we can’t change that. We always knew there was a chance one of us would get hurt or die. But we can talk to you all the time, we’re not going to desert you.”

 

“But-”

 

“Luffy, we can’t change anything,” Ace says softly, firmly but his hands are shaking, “It’s not possible to keep the Merry and we both know that we’re not drift compatible. We’ve never been and we can test it if you want, but without Sabo, we’re not going to be able to pilot anything together.”

 

Luffy sniffs, “But I don’t wanna work with anyone else. Why can’t Sabo just get better?”

 

“Hey,” Sabo’s voice is soft, even as Luffy’s eyes blur with tears. “Luffy, you knew there was a chance one of us could get hurt. Everyone gets hurt, just like Gramps and me and Mrs. Rouge.”

 

“Mom will smack you when she finds out that you called her that,” Ace says softly and Luffy is grateful for something other than what they can’t do anymore. What they won’t be able to be because Sabo can’t get back up and fight with them anymore. “We’re not going to change, we’re still siblings, you know. But we can’t pilot a jaeger.”

 

Luffy pouts. “But I’ll be able to?”

 

“They’re going to start looking into reassigning you as soon as possible,” Sabo admits relaxing back on the bed. “The way that the events are increasing is worrying and you both know that they want anyone that can pilot a jaeger to be back on the battlefield.”

 

Ace grins, “And you’ll get to suffer the matching assignments over and over until someone sticks.”

 

Luffy pulls a faces, nose wrinkling, “I hate that.”

 

“I’m sure that Shanks will get you someone without too much trouble,” Sabo assures and Luffy can see the glare he directs at Ace. “You and Ace both function on a fluctuating scale that we don’t really understand. You’ll sync up with someone perfectly quickly.”

 

“But I don’t wanna be compatible with someone else.”

 

“Then you won’t be able to control a jaeger.” Ace glares back at Sabo for a moment before rolling his eyes.  Luffy can do that with Sabo too, but he’s always been a little jealous that he can’t do the same Ace too. Even if it’s because so much stays with them after coming out the drift. “You know what it takes to control a jaeger,” his breath hitches. “Mom’s stupid husband was the only one to ever control one by himself and you know what happened to him.”

 

Luffy sighs because he knows. The whole world knows what happened to Roger because all the fights were broadcasted and the video was played in training as a warning. After all, Roger may have kept Raftel powered alone, but he had barely lived long enough to make it back to base.

 

“I’ll do the stupid tests.” Luffy pouts. “But I’m not gonna like it!”

 

Sabo laughs, “You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it.”

 

“I’m sure you’ll find someone quickly,” Ace adds, smiling crookedly. “You’re talented and as long as you’re able to get back up and aren’t damaged, they’ll keep throwing you at the breach. Can’t afford to have you out too long.”

 

“And we’re brothers, we’re not going to vanish entirely on you. Not even if we’re assigned other places.”

 

Luffy smiles but he _hates_ it. They were suppose to pilot the Going Merry together and now he had to find someone _new_. Someone new that would be in the drift with him. Luffy closes his eyes as Sabo pokes Ace in the face again, remembering what he has learned about his brothers in the drift before grinning brighter and laughing at Ace’s face. He could do this, he could. Even if he would rather do anything else in the world, after all if he didn’t get to fight the Kaiju again, he would never get to make them pay for hurting Sabo.

* * *

 

“They’ve got a new spot open,” Lami says adjusting her wheelchair in annoyance with one hand as she tried to keep a grip on her tablet. “The Going Merry was destroyed in their last attack and one of their pilots isn’t able to keep going.”

 

“I thought the remaining pilot was being assigned to the Fishman Shatterdome?” Law asks distractedly, as he attempts to cut into the limb from the last Kaiju that he had been given. The Blue always melted his scalpels and he never got enough information, which was why he had stopped using them. He had gotten some success from a makeshift one that he had made from a broken tooth purchased from the underground and he wanted to see if the success repeated. “I remember that the Striker was being put into the field.”

 

Lami laughs, “The Merry is a three man drift, Law. The one that always makes,” Lami pauses, breath hitching the pain still too much. “Made dad pull his hair out because two of the pilots weren’t compatible.”

 

“That one,” he pauses for a long moment because it was infuriating that he still didn’t have an answer to _how_ it worked. “So one was assigned to Fishman and the other is currently looking for a partner. The third is dead?”

 

“Alive, too much damage to keep up with the strain of using a Jaeger. You should try out.”

 

“I should what?”

 

“Try out. You love piloting and you haven’t tried in years, not since the attack that destroyed Fleevance and left me like this.” She gestures down at her legs. “Could go and fight again. Instead of being locked up in this stuffy lab.”

 

Law frowns, glancing up long enough to catch the look on her face, the sheer hope in her eyes and the stubborn set to her jaw. “I’m not locked up in this stuffy lab. I’m perfectly happy here and you would know that if you were paying attention.”

 

“Like how you’ve hacked the simulator and keep assigning yourself new partners because you’ve been attempting to see how you’d do in the drift?” Lami counters. “It’s too bad, I signed you up already to try out.”

 

“Lami.”

 

“Law.”

 

“Lami.”

 

“I’m not going to withdraw you from the running. You love being in a Jaeger, you love the fighting, you love being in the drift,” Lami states and Law knows that she’s just as stubborn as he is. It’s their shared worst trait. “And don’t you dare say you don’t, I know as well as the Rangers do that you and Bepo keep stealing the Tang for Category 1 events.”

 

“Bepo isn’t allowed to fight in a Jaeger since Electro can deteriorate the wiring too quickly,” Law states by route, because Bepo is almost as close a match for him as Lami, but he’s heard all the arguments why Bepo can’t pilot.

 

Lami rolls her eyes. “Law, you aren’t fooling anyone. You’re lucky that you’re close with Corazon or you both would have been in trouble by now. Penguin and Sachi keep forgetting that they need to at least pretend they’re in the Tang and get caught on the way to the mess or tinkering in the bays.”

 

“Which one?”

 

“Which one what?”

 

“The Merry had three pilots, which one is the one who needs a partner.”

 

“Garp’s grandson,” she answers, sounding victorious and Law knows that Lami thinks that she’s won. “Monkey D Luffy. Outlook Sabo is unable to pilot after extensive damage to his left side and Portgas D Ace was almost immediately assigned to partner with Masked Deuce onboard the Striker.”

 

Law hums, “He’s your age, isn’t he?”

 

“I have no idea. I know they worked as a team for almost four years and that they’re one of the longest running,” Lami answers. “I’m not sure on their ages, except for Portgas.”

 

“You know Portgas?”

 

Lami shakes her head, and Law’s glad that he didn’t miss that friendship. Lami has never forgiven him for mistaking Rebecca for anything other than her girlfriend, “I know Ranger Newgate, they’re married. That’s why Portgas agreed to the reassignment so quickly, they promised to put them in the same dome.” she pokes at something on his overflowing desk. “What is this?”

 

“Your brother combined Blue and something else in an experiment,” Bepo answers. “I think you should try out too, Law. You never get out of the lab.”

 

“I like being in my lab,” Law counters. “But I’ll attend, if you’ll both back the fuck off.”

 

Lami laughs, “You’re like the world’s cutest cactus.”

 

“Lami, I’m not cute.” Law shoots a dark look at Bepo before his friend can open his mouth, he can see that smile underneath his paw. “I already agreed to the test, I don’t need you both doing things like this.”

 

“Things like what?” Lami asks trying to look innocent as she taps her tablet and Law’s watch pings. “I sent you the details for when the test is going to take place, don’t you dare miss this. I had Ranger Newgate get Monkey to stop here first. They’ve got him touring to test with others.”

 

“That’s some favor that you must owe him now.”

 

Lami hums, smirking, “Maybe so. Now you better not be late, I worked hard for this and we both know how a pilot acts when they lose their partner and the ability to get back into a jaeger.”

 

“Isn’t that why they use Akagami and Beckman even with Akagami’s arm missing?”

 

“Don’t be rude,” Lami scolds him. “Just go and see. The worse case scenario would be that you and Bepo will continue to steal the Tang while everyone turns a blind eye.”

 

“I promised,” Law says tiredly. “Don’t worry, Lami.”

 

“Of course I’m going to worry,” Lami states crossing her arms. “You’re my brother and you’ve spent the last few years locked up here and I want you to get out. Make friends, do things again. You,” she bites her lip. “Corazon thinks you blame yourself for Fleevance.”

 

“I don’t.”

 

Law would like to say that’s the truth, that he doesn’t feel responsible for Fleevance, both of them because his home and the jaeger that he and Lami had used shared a name.  But it’s not. Not entirely.

 

“I’m sure that you’ll at least have a fun time,” Lami continues. “You like sparring.”

* * *

 

Luffy is bored, there’s supposed to be someone coming to spar with him soon, since the last seven, _seven_ , hadn’t been any good against him. He hadn’t even needed to spar one of them to know that he would be a bad fit, but Shanks had insisted because it was only fair to give everyone a chance after all.

 

Shanks was lucky that he had got to keep Benn, Luffy wanted to keep Ace and Sabo but he was told that he wasn’t allowed to instead. Which wasn’t _fair_. And if this person didn’t show up soon then Luffy would miss the call that Ace and Sabo had promised to make to him to check up.

 

“I’m sorry,” Lami, who had been his guide through the base and introduced Luffy to each of the Rangers that were fighting him, says shaking her head. “I set up this appointment. My brother hasn’t been allowed to pilot since,” she gestures at her legs. “He’s probably locked up in his lab like an idiot.”

“You have a brother?” Luffy asks dropping down onto the mats and sprawling over them. “I didn’t know you had a brother. Is he nice?”

 

“He’s nice to me.”

 

Luffy laughs, “That’s good. My brothers are nice to me too! Do you spend lots of time with him, Lami?”

 

“I’m late, aren’t I?”

 

Luffy tilts his head back, because this man is very tall. “Are you Lami’s big brother?”

 

“He could have been my little brother,” Lami states sniffing. “And you’re almost twenty minutes late, Law. Did you forget? I put reminders on all of you things to make sure that you didn’t keep us waiting and you still managed to be late.”

 

Law hums tiredly, “there was something brought into the labs as we were very interested in looking over. I heard some beeping but assumed that it was my messaging app and that Penguin or Sachi was sending memes into our group chat. Am I too late?”

 

“We can spar,” Luffy decides because if he says no, then Shanks will be mad and he’ll just have to come spar with him again. “But quick. I have stuff to do too, ya know.”

 

“I’m sure.”

 

Luffy narrows his eyes because it sounds condescending, but Law’s face is blank and he’s tugging off his lab coat and going to grab one of the sticks that Shanks said were needed. Luffy never had to fight Sabo or Ace with stupid sticks.

 

“Trafalgar Law,” he holds out his hand when he returns to the mats. “I’m Trafalgar Law.”

 

“Traffy.” Lami snorts and Luffy grins brightly, because Law looks like someone fed him a lemon. “I’m Monkey D Luffy and I’m gonna destroy the Kaiju!”

 

“Trafalgar,” Law states and Luffy is never going to say that. “Law, if you must.”

 

“Mhm, no. I think I’m gonna call you Traffy. Now spar with me, Traffy!”

 

The face that Law makes is the _best_. Luffy hopes that they aren’t partners because it’s not nice to make his new partner annoyed with him, but Law’s face is great! Luffy is going to see if he can make that face again!

 

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re annoying?” Law asks, shifting into a starting stance. “Supremely annoying?”

 

Luffy hums thoughtfully, eyes focused on Law because he looked tricky, like he would attack when he thought that Luffy was distracted. “Only my brothers. But I’m suppose ta annoy them.”

 

Law’s eyes narrow and he shifts, Luffy grins and catches his staff with his own, laughing as he shoves Law backwards away from him. Law smirks back, twisting and catching Luffy’s attack on his own before stepping into Luffy’s guard.

 

“You seem to be a little _slow_ ,” Law says keeping Luffy from moving further. “Should I go easier on you?”

 

Luffy kicks, hooking his foot around Law’s ankle and tugging sharply, laughing as Law falls on his ass. He points his staff at Law’s throat, grinning in victory. “You’re just a sore loser!”

 

“A loser?” Law says raising an eyebrow.

 

Luffy stops at the sound of clapping, Lami’s eyes bright as she watches them. “Oh, it’s over?”

 

“It’s over,” Lami agrees. “You did a very good job, but it’s time to go and test what the machines have to say. Shanks should be here in a minute to escort you, I’ve just sent him a message.”

 

“I see,” Law says holding a hand out to Luffy. “I think we might be working together for a while, Luffy.”

 

“Traffy’s gonna be my new partner?” Luffy pouts because he wanted to tease Law more! He made funny faces and Luffy was supposed to be nice to his partner. “You think so? What do you think, Lami?”

 

“I think that it’s possible,” Lami agrees, but her smile says that she thinks that they are. Luffy isn’t sure how he feels about that. “And I think that Shanks might agree with me, don’t you, sir?”

 

Shanks grins, “I’m sure we’ll find out. I’m sure that you boys both know what’s going to happen next?”

 

“The machine.” Luffy sticks his tongue out. “And this is the last one for today, right? It hurts my head and I wanna explore and stuff.” Shanks doesn’t look at him like he’s confused and Luffy’s glad. He knows he’s not supposed to act this silly, but it’s more _fun_. And if Law, Traffy, is going to be his partner from now on, he should know how Luffy tends to be. “Ace and Sabo promised me to call and I don’ wanna miss it!”

 

“I promise that you’ll be on time to get your call,” Shanks assures. “Now come on, we’ll get the test over and then we’ll be done for the time being. I’m sure that it won’t take very long and I doubt that your head will hurt that badly, Luffy.”

 

“It did the last few times, even after you said that it wouldn’t!”

 

“Are you always this loud?” Law asks curiously, but the face that he’s pulling says that it’s because he’s annoyed. “I feel like that should be one of the first questions that I asked upon meeting you.”

 

“I’m not loud,” Luffy denies accepting the headgear pressed into his hands.

 

It was capable of helping them test their ability to drift without worrying about if they might not be compatible enough to keep the Jaeger from falling apart or collapsing in on itself. Luffy thought it felt like his brain was being itched and he _hated_ it. If Law wasn’t going to be his partner, Luffy was going to seriously consider what it would take to make a one man Jaeger. Maybe Franky would have an idea.

 

“You’re going to need to put that on,” Shanks says grinning. “As soon as you do, I’ll start up the system and we’ll see if you’ll have to keep all those appointments tomorrow.”

 

Luffy sticks his tongue out at Shanks, pulling the headgear on and buckling the strap underneath his chin, “Mean!” He can hear Law choke, almost laugh. “So mean, Shanks.”

 

“I know,” Shanks sighs and Luffy can tell he’s smiling. “Three, two, one-”

 

Everything is tinted blue when Luffy’s in the drift, blue and brighter than bright. He’s never asked what his brothers saw like this, not even when their memories were shared with him. Because it always stayed that same shade of blue.

 

“You know,” Law’s voice is different here and it’s not really words the way it is outside of the drift, but Luffy understands him anyway. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

 

“Why not? I could have been the best partner ever.”

 

Law raises an eyebrow, Luffy can’t see if but he can feel it. “I think you’ll have to prove that to me, partner.”

* * *

 

“So what do you think of the people you fought with today?” Sabo asks curiously, his screen flickering slightly as they spoke. “Sorry for the connection, seems that the Dawn Shatterdome is having some problems with our last fight still. All that Blue finally reached closer to shore and is eating through cabling.”

 

“Gross,” Ace says, his nose wrinkling as the scene behind him changes, “I’m taking a break from spending time with Deuce, apparently we still have to practice even though our numbers are good.”

 

“I have a new partner!”

 

They both stop and Luffy blinks slowly back at them, his eyes bright because he has a new partner!

 

“I owe you money, it seems,” Sabo states glancing to the side and Luffy thinks to where Ace is on his screen. “How much did we bet again?”

 

Ace shrugs. “Marco, did I tell you about the bet?”

 

“Twenty dollars,” Birdman answers. “I hope you have a good time with Ranger Trafalgar, Luffy. He’s very talented, it was a great loss when we lost his sister and the Fleevance.”

 

“Traffy is nice! He makes really funny faces!”

 

Sabo stares at him and Luffy shifts uncomfortably because he’s seen that face on Sabo before and he doesn’t remember what it’s suppose to mean, though it must mean something, “You really think that?”

 

“I was teasing him! But I can’t tease him anymore.” Luffy pouts. “Traffy’s my partner now and Ace and Sabo said that I can’t be mean to my partner.”

 

“I said you can’t be mean, I said nothing about teasing,” Ace says leaning into Birdman’s side. “As long as you’re not mean. Don’t you think, Sabo?”

 

Sabo rolls his eyes. “I swear you two are worse with emotions than I am sometimes.”

 

“Excuse you?” Ace says looking affronted. “Who’s the only one of us that’s actually married? It’s certainly not you, Sabo. Anyway Luffy, tell us about Trafalgar.”

 

“Traffy’s funny! And he’s smart too, Lami says that he’s a scientist too,” Luffy says excitedly because he has a partner now. “Lami is his little sister!”

 

“And you’re sure that you want to drift with him? You can say no, we can keep looking for a new partner for you if you don’t like him.”

 

“Traffy’s fine. I like him.”

 

“He likes him, I think that’s good enough for now,” Ace says shrugging. “We don’t really have much of a choice. He wants to pilot again and you know how hard it is to find a good partner. I was lucky and we know it.”

 

“I know, but we could give him more time to look,” Sabo says gesturing at something. Luffy doesn’t understand why Sabo makes funny gestures like that. “If you’re really happy, Luffy?”

 

“Yeah! I think Traffy and I are gonna have lots of fun!”

 

“Have you seen the Sunny yet?” Ace asks excitedly, his eyes bright. “I’ve heard that Franky did an amazing job with it. Though I think I heard someone say that you might be getting a sword, since Trafalgar is use to using them.”

 

Luffy gasps. “You think so? We were never allowed a sword!”

 

“Rumor says that you might,” Birdman states vanishing from Ace’s screen. “And if we’re talking about Franky, he’s probably going to do it. You might want to look into learning how to fight with a sword. If Trafalgar knows, he could be willing to teach you.”

 

“Birdman-”

 

“My name is still Marco.”

 

“-You’re the best! I can try and bond with Traffy over swords. I know lots about them from Zoro!” Luffy says ignoring Birdman. It was more fun to say that then to use his real name. Birdman was much cooler. “And I gotta bond with him, right?”

 

“You do,” Sabo agrees shaking his head. “I think that might be a good thing, but you might want to start smaller. I know that Ace and I spent a lot of time talking before we were allowed to do too much. Helped me be ready for what memories could leak over.”

 

Luffy gags, “So much _kissing_.”

 

“Shut up,” Ace grumbles. “I have a very attractive husband and I like kissing him. Just because you shared my memories doesn’t make it my fault. I don’t control what you all got to see.”

 

“At least we didn’t see more than that,” Sabo adds in what is almost a whisper. “Can you imagine how horrible it would have been?”

 

It’s nice, talking to them even if they’re all in different places and Sabo has to leave early because someone knocks on his door and says they’re restarting the power grid to try and adjust for some of the damage. Ace doesn’t stick around much longer, summoned to do one more test run in Striker before closing down for the night. It leaves Luffy alone in his new room, spinning in his chair thoughtfully.

 

There’s a lot of things that Luffy needs to do, that he doesn’t want to do. He needs to get along with Law to be able to pilot the Sunny better, even if he isn’t as close to Law as he is with his brothers. Just more than he is now. Which means he has to start somewhere.

 

Luffy startles at the knock on his door, hurrying towards it incase something is happening and they need him for something.

 

“Am I interrupting?” Law asks curiously, leaning back from the door as Luffy slams it open.

 

“Nope, what’s Traffy doing here?” Luffy says grinning, he was just thinking about him.

 

Law raises an eyebrow but doesn’t argue over the nickname this time. “Lami has informed me that I have been remiss in actually getting to know you. Since we are going to be working with each other for some time.”

 

“Traffy wants to be friends,” Luffy agrees because he doesn’t know why Law has to be so silly when he talks. “Did you have a plan?”

 

“Dinner. Lami says that you mentioned food when you were talking earlier and I have found that you can get to know someone quite well over a meal.”

 

“Meat. There better be meat, Traffy. It’s my favorite.”

 

Law makes that funny sound, like he’s sighing but it’s through his nose, but he’s smiling. “I think we can arrange meat. Shall we take this from the top?”

 

“The top?” Of what, Luffy wants to know.

 

“Trafalgar D Water Law, I look forward to working with you.”

 

“Monkey D Luffy! I think we’ll be the best team, Traffy!”


End file.
